Method of making shakes

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for making shakes and a shake configuration having a parallel sawn tip end portion and a naturally split weather end portion with a transition portion defined by an inclined face which smoothly joins the weather tip portions. The apparatus carries four shake blocks along a circular path past a first saw which cuts the tip end portion, then past a curved wedge which splits the shake from the block, and finally past a second saw which removes the ridge on the exposed end of the shake block left by the first saw and any pieces of wood still attached to the exposed end of the block.

United States Patent [1 1 Hughes [111" 3,805,861 Apr. 23, 1974 METHOD OF MAKING SHAKES [75] Inventor: John H. Hughes, Aberdeen, Wash.

[73] Assignee: J. H. Hughes, Inc., Aberdeen, Wash.

[22] Filed: July 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.2 268,698

[52] US. Cl. 144/326, 144/13, 144/193 R, 83/920 [51] Int. Cl B27m 3/02, B271 7/00 [58] Field of Search 144/13, 326, 323, 309, 144/193; 83/920, 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,392 4/1929 Whitaker 144/13 3,396,764 8/1968 Ferguson 144/326' 3,512,562 5/1970 Norlander et al 144/13 3,754,586 8/1973 Daniels 144/326 Primary Examiner-Donald R. Schran [57] i ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for making shakes and a shake configuration having a parallel sawn tip end portion and a naturally split weather end portion with a transition portion defined by an inclined face which smoothly joins the weather tip portions. The apparatus carries four shake blocks along a circular path past a first sawwhich cuts the tip end portion, then past a curved wedge which splits the shake from the block, and finally past a second saw which removes the ridge on the exposed end of the shake block left by the first saw and any pieces of wood still attached to the exposed end of the block. 1

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures METHOD OF MAKING SHAKES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a split natural wood shake and a method and apparatus for making such shakes.

2. Description of the Prior Art The method and apparatus and the shake produced are improvements of inventions disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,315,717 and in my application for patent, Ser. No. 851,575, filed Aug. 20, 1969. The US. Pat. No. 3,315,717 relates to a broad concept of splitting shakes from a block. In the invention of the application, Ser. No. 851,575, the shake block is mounted in a reciprocating carriage which passed first over a rotary saw to cut a tip end portion of the shake and thence over a splitting bar to split the shake from the block. The shake produced by the method and apparatus of the application has parallel sawn surfaces defining the tip end portion of the shake and generally parallel split faces defining the weather end portion of the shake. The tip end portion is of a reduced thickness leaving a ridge at the juncture between the tip and weather end portions. In some instances this ridge is undesirable; Secondly, in a reciprocating type machine as disclosed in the application, the output is limited due to restrictions on the operating speed of the machine. Thirdly, in some instances a defect in the wood will leave a piece of wood remaining on the bolt that affects the subsequent cutting and splitting operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a shake having a smooth transition portion between the sawn tip end portion and the split weather end portion of the shake.

It is another object of thisrinvention to provide a shake which may be laid with either face up on the roof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of producing shakes which prevents a wood acT cumulation on the end of the shake block exposed after the removal of a shake from the block.

It is another object of this invention to provide method and apparatus for producing shakes more economically from good quality shake blocks and for producing more marketable shakes from poor-quality shake blocks. 7

It is another object of this invention to provide a machine capable of producing a large quantity of shakes at a high rate of speed. 1

It is another'object of this invention to provide an apparatus for making shakes which is easy to operate and has low per-shake manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Basically, the method comprises making a plurality of parallel equidistantly spaced cuts, each the thickness of the shake, in one side of a shake block and partially through the block to define a plurality of tip portions each having a ridge formed by the inner end of the cut, splitting the shakes from the block to define weather end portions by separating the tip portion from the block and after splitting each shake from the block making an additional cut to remove any wood still re maining on the cut exposed end of the block.

' ers along a circular path, means for intermittently advancing a shake block in each holder, saw means .in the path for cutting a kerf in each block for establishing a tip end portion in each shake and means in the path subsequent to the saw means for splitting each cut shake from the blocks. This feature of the invention :increases the output capacity of the former reciprocating type machine many times primarily because the .cutting becomes an almost continuous operation. Further- -more, the mass of shake lbIOCkS and related structure once in motion requires far less power to continue its movement than in a reciprocating type apparatus.

In the preferred form the splitting means is a curved wedge which allows the shake to be split from the block and continues itspath to a collecting means at a distance from the carriage. Various splitting devices are included in addition to the wedge to facilitate removal of the shake. A simple and unique means .is provided for intermittently advancing each, of the blocks in their holders after' each revolution of thecarriage of the preferred embodiment.

Another important feature oft'the invention is the .use of a secondsaw to remove pieces of wood still attached .to the exposed end of the block. The second saw need following the wedge. The second saw1advantageously removes the pieces of wood to prevent a wood buildup which could prevent subsequent splits from occurring along the grain line as desired. If the ridge is also removed the shake can be used with either side upon the roof. For this reason the roofing contractor can save a considerable amount of time in laying the shakes on the roof. For example, the side having the beveled transition portion will sometimes lay face up better than face down because of irregularities in the surface of the shake previously laid on the roof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a shake splitting machine embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation looking along the lines of 2--2 of FIG. 1.

*FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective of the wedging apparatus employed in'the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan-of the shake machine as shown. FIG. 1. r

FIG. 5 is an isometric of a shake embodying the principles of the invention. 5 1

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the shake shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, schematic illustration showing the block advancing mechanism employed with the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary illustration taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 and includes a frame 10, a rotary carriage 12 which mounts a plurality of shake block holders 14 equidistantly spaced around the carriage, shake splitting means 16 positioned at one location along the rotary path of travel of the carriage 12, cutting means 18 at a second location along the rotary pathof travel of the carriage, and collecting means 20 for gathering the shakes split from the shake blocks B.

The rotary carriage 12 includes a wheel 22 rotating on an axle 24 for rotation in the direction of the arrow 26. The wheel is powered by an elongated belt 28 entrained about a drive pulley on a motor 30 and about the peripheral surface 32 of the wheel 22. The wide belt 28 provides a large surface area in contact with the wheel 32 so that driving engagement may be accomplished even though the weight of the wheel and shake bolts is several hundred pounds.

As best shown in FIGS. 7+9, the shake blocks B are automatically intermittently advanced in the shake holders 14. For this purpose, each shake holder includes a pair of spur rollers 36 of the type shown in said application Ser. No. 851,575 which grip the sides of the shake block. As is shown in more detail in said application, simultaneously rotation of the spur rollers in the directions of the arrows indicated advances the shake block toward the front of the carriage 12. In order to accomplish this automatic advancement one spur roll is provided with a short ratchet arm 38 and the other with a long ratchet arm 39. The ratchet arms are joined by a cable 40. A spring 41 biases the arms away from each other to advance the spur rolls one increment equal to the desired thickness of a shake. Joined to the elongated ratchet arm 39 is an elongated flexible link or cable 42. The cable 42 from each of the pairs of spur rollers associated with each shake block holder 14 is joined to a plate 44. The cables suspend the plate 44 behind the wheel 22. As is best shown-in FIG. 9, the plate is mounted ona bearing for free rotation about a pin 46 that is coupled to a pull chain 48. The pull chain 48 holds the plate 44 offcenter from the axis of rotation of the wheel on the axle 24. Consequently, during each revolution of the wheel, the distance between the arm 39 and the plate 44 is shortened, as indicated by the arrow a on FIG. 7 which allows the spring 41 to move the arms 38 and 39 apart advancing the ratchet pawls over the cogs in the spur rollers 36. As the wheel continues to revolve, the distance between the arm 39 and the plate 44 is again lengthened, as indicated at b, moving the arms 38 and 39 toward one another to advance the spur rollers.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, cutting means l8 comprises a first rotary saw 50 mounted on the frame and driven by a motor 52. In the preferred form the saw is supported by collars 53'-th'at slightly dish the surface of the saw to stiffen its rim. The saw is positioned so that its cutting edge intersects the block B to a depth equal to the desired tip length of the shake S. Thus, as best shown in FIG. 2, as the wheel 22 carries the block B in its rotational path, the block passes over the saw 50 defining one shake tip portion.

After the block has been cut to define thetip portion of a shake, the shake'is split from the block by the splitting means 16. The splitting means could be a single wedge as described in application Ser. No. 851,575. However, it is a unique feature of this invention to improve the splitting operation over that of the prior application. For this purpose the splitting means includes a splitting bar or fin 54 having a sharpened edge 56 for cutting through knots or other defects in the weather end portion of the block which are resisting the normal splitting of the shake from the block. Splitting is started by a short wedge 58 which has an edge 58a that widens to a top 58b. The cut block first engages the short wedge 58 at the inner end of the cut formed by the saw 50. The wedge pries the shake slightly, not enough to break the shake but sufficient to allow the splitting fin 54 to enter the split and separate the shake from the block. In some instances the knot or other obstruction in the wood will be too substantial for the splitting fin 54 to completely cut. Consequently, the fin is biased by springs 60 to allow retraction out of the weather end portion of the block. A stop 61 prevents the splitting fin from moving laterally. Assuming the fin has passed through the shake, the shake is then thrown to the side by a bent tip 62 of the splitting fin 54. The shake then falls into a chute 64 and is guided into a suitable receptacle or conveyor 66.

In some instances the shake will still not be separated from the block. Thus, following the splitting fin 54 is a curved wedge 68 having a blunt narrow end 69 and I progressively widening along an arc to a widened end 70. The wedge 68 normally removes any shakes not previously removed by the splitting fin 54. Should a shake still be clinging to the block, it is completely severed from the block by a bar 72 which extends radially outwardly beyond the outer ends of the block so that any shakes still hanging from the block must be separated from it even-if broken and directed into the chute 64.

, Occasionally a shake block will have a knot or other defect which will prevent the normal splitting of a shake from theshake bolt. When the defect prevents splitting along the grain line as desired the shake or portion of the shake is broken off from the block rather than the split continuing along the grain line through to the end of the weather end WE. The piece ofwood left on the block will in some cases cause the next shake cut and split from the block to break also rather than split through the block, even though the cutting operation has passed beyond the defect in the block that initiated the breakage. Once wood is left on the exposed end of the block it may accumulate on the end of the block with each subsequent splitting operation. In the instant invention this problem is uniquely eliminated by providing a second saw 74 driven by a motor 75 and mounted on the frame 10 in a position in which the cutting edges of the saws 50 and 74 are facing one another and overlap to some extent. T hus the second saw can cut through any piece of wood attached to the end of the block which extends beyond the thickness of the weather end portion of the next shake to be removed from the block. In this manner wood cannot accumulate on the block and as soon as the cutting and splitting operation has passed .the defect in the block, whole shakes will again be removed from the block. In the broad'aspect of the invention the second saw, of 7 course, can be placed in any position after the splitting operation. The only requirement for the second saw is that it be positioned so as to remove any pieces of wood remaining on the block to prevent an accumulation of wood.

The saw 74 in the preferred embodiment is positioned also at a particular angle for a second important purpose. As best shown in FIG. 2 the saw 74 is in a plane which intersects the plane of the cut caused by the saw 50 and exposed after removal of the previous shake and terminating at the inner end of the exposed cut. In this manner the ridge R, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5, that remains after the shake is split from the block is removed, leaving a smooth beveled transition portion TP in. its place. As a result a much improved shake is formed both in appearance and which has the unique advantage of being used with either face lying up on the roof. v

The method of this invention will be best understood by a description of the operation of the machine. It should be understood, of course, that other apparatus may be employed to carry out the method. A plurality of blocks B are positioned in the holders 14. The saws 50 and 74 are rotated and the wheel 22 rotated in the direction of the arrow 26. As the blocks are rotated along the path of rotation a block is passed over the saw 50 which cuts a first saw kerf leaving a portion of the shake equal to the thickness of the tip end portion TE of the shake. Next the block is continued along the path where the splitting means separates the shake from the block by starting the split at the inner end of the cut and continuing the split throughthe weather end portion to the other end of the block. In some cases small knots and other defects'will be cut by the splitting fin 54 so that a well formed' shake will result. In other instances a shake will break off leaving a piece of wood projecting out from the exposed end of the block. Next the block is continued in its path and passed over the saw 74 to remove any undesired piece of wood which may remain on the block after splitting. In the preferred form the second cut is made at an angle and terminates adjacent the cut face of the tip end portion TE so that a smooth transition portion T? is formed on the shake. The shake block is continued along the path with the completion of each cycle the block is advanced the thickness of another shake with the operation continuing until the entire usable portion of the block has been split.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it should be understood that variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the in-' l. A method of splitting natural wood shakes having cut tip end portions and natural split weather end portions from a shake block comprising:

making a plurality of parallel equidistantly spaced first cuts, each the thickness of a shake, in one side of the block and partially through the block to define a plurality of tip portions,

splitting the shakes from the block by spreading the tip portions from the block and occasionally leaving a piece of wood extending out from the exposed face of the split end of the block, and

after splitting each shake, making an additional cut in the end of the block exposed after removal of the shake at an angle to said first cut to remove the occasionally left piece of wood.

2. The method of claim 1- said cuts being made individually and successively, said-splitting being made individually and successively after the formation of each out before the formation of the next successive cut.

3.'The method of claim 1 wherein the shakes are split by spreading the tip portions frornthe block starting at the inner end of each first cuts.

4. The method of claim 2, including moving a plurality of blocks about a circular path, making said first cuts at a first location in said path, splitting said shakes from the blocks at a subsequent second location in said path, and making said second cuts in said path subsequent to said second location.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the shakes are split by spreading the tip portions from the block starting at the inner end of each first cut.

6. The method of claim 2 said exposed end of the block having a split surface and a cut surface forming an abrupt ridge at their juncture, said additional cut terminating at the inner end of the first cut and adjacent the'e'xposed cut surface of the block to remove the abrupt ridge from the exposed end of the block. l I 

1. A method of splitting natural wood shakes having cut tip end portions and natural split weather end portions from a shake block comprising: making a plurality of parallel equidistantly spaced first cuts, each the thickness of a shake, in one side of the block and partially through the block to define a plurality of tip portions, splitting the shakes from the block by spreading the tip portions from the block and occasionally leaving a piece of wood extending out from the exposed face of the split end of the block, and after splitting each shake, making an additional cut in the end of the block exposed after removal of the shake at an angle to said first cut to remove the occasionally left piece of wood.
 2. The method of claim 1 said cuts being made individually and successively, said splitting being made individually and successively after the formation of each cut before the formation of the next successive cut.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the shakes are split by spreading the tip portions from the block starting at the inner end of each first cuts.
 4. The method of claim 2, including moving a plurality of blocks about a circular path, making said first cuts at a first location in said path, splitting said shakes from the blocks at a subsequent second location in said path, and making said second cuts in said path subsequent to said second location.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the shakes are split by spreading the tip portions from the block starting at the inner end of each first cut.
 6. The method of claim 2 said exposed end of the block having a split surface and a cut surface forming an abrupt ridge at their juncture, said additional cut terminating at the inner end of the first cut and adjacent the exposed cut surface of the block to remove the abrupt ridge from the exposed end of the block. 